With six wins on Tuesday’s card at The Meadows, Dave Palone lowered his “Magic Number” to two to break Herve Filion’s all-time North American career victory record of 15,180 and set the stage for his final assault on the mark Thursday.

The Meadows is dark Wednesday, but when action resumes Thursday at 12:55 p.m., Palone is scheduled for 14 drives, including five with morning-line favourites. Since Palone averages more than three wins per Meadows program, the record is in serious jeopardy.

The gracious Filion plans to greet Palone in the winners’ circle following the record-setting drive — as he did after Palone’s 15,000th victory — and will join the Palone family to turn the final number on the countdown board. Also set for the winners’ circle celebration are presentations from The Meadows, the Meadows Standardbred Owners Association and the United States Trotting Association.

Palone, 50, a Waynesburg, PA native, was inducted into the Harness Racing Hall of Fame in 2010 and is a six-time Harness Tracks of America Driver of the Year: 2009, 2008, 2004, 2003, 2000 and 1999. He has been the leading driver at The Meadows for 23 straight years and has a streak of 20 consecutive years with at least 532 victories.

(The Meadows)